


It Was Emptier

by kcp



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Past Abuse, Sweet Peas non canon past, Verbal Abuse, seriously do better riverdale, the serpents deserve better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 12:14:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20309323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kcp/pseuds/kcp
Summary: Sweet Pea had been gone for more than a week from Riverdale High, and Archie was worried. When he returns but immediately runs away again, Archie decides to follow.





	It Was Emptier

**Author's Note:**

> As per every single fic I've ever written, this was written at 3am without prior editing. I make no apologies. Just kidding, I'm sorry if it's terrible and a mess. I'm planning on going back through with in the next couple of days.

The school seemed emptier here late. Even though the halls were filled and brimming with mundane teen drama and gossip, what should have a been a nice turn of events after the past couple of years. Except Archie had noticed Sweet Pea had been gone for a week and it made the school just seem too boring and lack luster. 

There was no random threats of violence, or loud unapologetic laughter that caused looks and awkward shuffling from the students and teachers alike. No secret smoking in the courtyard, or gentle thanks to the lunch ladies every day. A severe lack of charming the teachers for an extension on the paper that was due two weeks prior, just a smirk turned shy smile did the trick everytime. 

Archie wasn't sure why he even noticed he was gone. He blamed the fact that the Serpents had melted into the background without their social ringleader. Jughead was at his new academy, but was still their King. Sweet Pea however was the mood maker, the listening ear, the glue. His absence made the others slightly apprehensive and downtrodden. It also may have been because he hadn't been smirked at mockingly after tripping in the hall, or had crescent eyes smiling at him when he helped the custodian pick up his cleaning supplies after spilling them across the corridor. He wasn't sure.

When the next week started he held his breath in history hoping to see a familiar gigantic Serpent walk through. When he didn't and the teacher started the lecture he decided it was going to be a long day. Archie wouldn't outwardly admit that he missed Sweet Pea, but internally he knew he had grown a soft spot for the other. So where was his unofficial favorite Serpent. (Jughead was his best friend, so the other title felt like it could be given away.)

Another couple days had come and gone before Sweet Pea came back to school. Archie was immediately concerned when he saw how sunken in and exhausted his face had become. 

Sweet Peas usually softly defined cheekbones were ghastly protruding now. His shoulders had lost their normal confidence and were sagging as if the weight of the world was crushing his bones. His eyes where almost unseeable from the bags and dark circles surrounding them. Yet more worrying was the complete abscence of any witty comeback or even acknowledgement of anyone. 

He wasn't listening closely enough to know when or what exactly broke Sweet Pea's fragile demeanor in their second class together. All he saw was the Serpent storm past him and out the door leaving a wake of confusion behind. 

Instantly he was up and out of the door following behind Sweet Pea. 

Upon arriving outside Sweet Pea headed for his bike, not caring to put on any protective gear. Revving the engine, the dark haired teen started to peel out. 

Archie ran to his own vehicle, and followed after him, just knowing he shouldn't be left alone. There was no doubt Sweet Pea knew he was being followed if the unneeded twists and turns through town were anything to go by. Eventually though it seemed he gave up losing his tail and decided to just speed off out of town. Trying to keep up, they drove for probably an hour before he saw the bike suddenly bank left off the road into a shrouded dirt road easily passed. If he had been in his car rather than his dads truck he would have had to slow to a crawl and probably lost the Serpent jacket zipping through the back roads. 

Ultimately Sweet Pea slowed and parked in front of an unmarked path. He quickly hopped off the motorcycle and took off up the wooded footpath. Archie decided to keep his distance for the most part. He knew from his couple months as a Park Ranger he would certainly be able to follow the destructively obvious track the Serpent was reeking through the forest. 

When he caught up Sweet Pea was sitting with his head down nearly tucked between the knees he was clutching to his chest. He sat overlooking a lake that Archie hadn't known existed in the slightest. Slowly approaching the same ledge he sat down silently. Sweet Pea would talk when he wanted or needed to. 

At least forty five minutes had passed before Sweet Pea glanced his way. Catching his eyes was a chore in and of itself, but when Archie finally did he felt his breath catch. There were no tears and not even anger was present in the usual micheveous amber eyes, just hollowness. 

"Why'd you follow me Andrews?" Sweet Pea didn't even sound angry; empty described it better. 

"To make sure you were okay." Archie knew it sounded generic and somewhat insincere even to him. He was just at a loss for words. 

"Well I'm not, so you can leave." He had expected denial and to be brushed off, not honesty. Now there was no way Archie was going to leave. 

"I'm alright right here. If you wanna talk about it, I'll listen. And if you just want to stare at the lake that's fine too. Either way, I'm not leaving." 

Another hour passed before the silence was broke again.

"Andrew's, do you know why I joined the Serpents?" Come to think of it, he knew very little about him or any of the gang members for that matter. He had always supposed it was a survival tactic for living on the South Side. Feeling as if a verbal reply would break whatever wary line of trust Sweet Pea was extending right now, he just shook his head. 

"Because when I was 3 my parents decided they didn't want me and shipped me off to my dads old college buddy. And he resented me from the get go. But they had relinquished guardianship of me and he was fostering me  
That was the agreement. Do whatever with me, as long as I was out of their hair and he would get paid by the state and get a lump sum for taking me. From that day forward I didn't exist to anyone but him and I was hated. I grew up getting beat for every little thing I did. Told I was useless, and a waste of space. I'd never be anything and no one would love me. Didn't even go to school. After he broke my arm for the third time I ran away at 13. I somehow ended up here and FP saw me sleeping outside of the grocery store where I was hoping I could get the expired food when they threw it out. He told me to get up and follow him. I slept in the Whyte Worm's attic for about 6 months. But it was more a home than anywhere else I'd ever been."

Archie really realized how little he knew about Sweet Pea and his heart ached. He'd grown up with separated parents but had been loved his entire life. He considered running away when his dad had made him eat the green bean casserole Alice had made them for Thanksgiving once. He couldn't imagine running away because the person who's supposed to take care of you hits you everyday. He still stayed silent.

"So last week I got a random letter from supposedly my grandmother. Or her lawyer I guess. Apparently she had no idea my parents had gotten rid of me until it was too late. When she had finally gone through the legal process to figure out where the courts had sent me, I had run away. I never use my real name and she couldn't find me. She hired a private investigator to track me down, but it was nearly impossible since I was in the States and she was in Canada. She died about a year ago. But she had paid the PI to look for the next three years and her will wouldn't be read or given out until the three years had passed or I was present. She was rich Archie and she left me with everything. She left me a letter saying how sorry she was she couldn't have been in my life and that I should have never been treated like that. And that she loved me. But when my mom and dad heard that they flipped shit, found my hotel and accused me of elderly abuse and that I coerced her into signing it. Which doesn't make sense I never met her. But they just kept saying street trash like me didn't deserve anything and I wasn't family. They asked me how I could ruin their lives, they had already bought a new house with the money they were promised. Said I should give them it all like they deserved and that I should have killed myself a long time ago because I was so worthless."

Archie couldn't stop himself from just grabbing Sweet Pea by the jacket and hauling him into his chest. While slightly uncomfortable from the height difference, Sweet Pea collapsed into his arms. The tears were silent but quickly soaked his shirt. 

"You're not worthless. You're strong, amazingly loyal, smart, beautiful. Everything about you is so beautiful. The way you always help the people that others think are unimportant like the custodians and lunch ladies. I've seen you buy food and give it to homeless people on the streets. And when Stacy passed out in Biology you caught her and held her head until she woke up. How can someone so kind be worthless. You're a million times better than those stupid people that gave you up." 

"Then why didn't they want me Archie? If I wasn't pathetic why would they have thrown me away first chance they got?" Why didn't they want me became a mantra as Sweet Pea sobbed into him. As it slowly passed he felt the hands on his jacket tighten and then next thing he knew Sweet Pea was punching his chest. It didn't hurt in the slightest, and he knew it was out of anger not aimed at him. 

Suddenly Sweet Pea jumped up and just screamed. He didn't stop until his voice gave out and when the echoes around the lake faded he turned around and swung at a tree. Archie tried to hold his arms back but couldn't get a grip until Sweet Pea decided he wanted to be stopped. His hands were bloody and swollen and surely some of the knuckles were broke. 

He collapsed into the red heads hold and just stopped everything. No tears or yells or punches. Exhaustion had set in. 

"I'm tired." The Serpent mumbled, voice completely shot.

"Let's go home then."

"No Archie. I'm tired of hating myself. Tired of people hating me." That hit Archie right in the heart and his chest tightened.

"No one hates you. You literally hold the place together most of the time." Sweet Pea pulled away and this time laid down on the rocky edge of the overlook looking at the sky. 

"No one hates me, huh? Yeah, right. You're only here because you thought I'd gone off the deep end. You hate me just like everyone else does."

"Sweet Pea I have never hated you. If anything I like you a little too much." He hadn't meant to say that, and hadn't even thought it through himself. All Archie knew was that he most definitely did not hate Sweet Pea in the slightest. "I noticed every day you weren't at school. Drove past the tents down by the river hoping to see your bike. Asked Fangs where you were. No Sweet Pea, I'm here because I was worried." 

Archie had taken to looking out over the forest below, avoiding eye contact. But when he felt the piercing eyes on him, he felt empowered to continue.

"Honestly, I hadn't even realized how much I always looked for you in the halls. And how when someone sat in your spot in the student lounge on the couch I realized that I don't even like sitting in the middle of the couch because the springs are sticking out. But when you're next to me I don't even notice. How I always get an extra soda 'accidentally' and give it to you at lunch. I have so many in my backpack because I kept buying them out of habit. I really missed you. And you're not worthless, you're priceless. " 

There was silence. Uncomfortable calculating silence. 

"You better not be confessing you like me because I'm rich now. It would be an awkward first date." In true Sweet Pea fashion, he had made a joke.

"Wait. First date?" 

"Oh so now you don't want to go out? Make up your mind Andrews." 

"Oh no. That's not what I meant. I'm definitely interested. But first let's go home, maybe to the hospital and get your hands looked out. You can stay in our spare room so no one asks any questions." 

Sweet Pea hadn't moved yet from his spot on the ground. "You know I'm a mess though right? You're okay with putting up with someone like me?"

"Theres no 'putting up with someone like you'. You're not a chore or a problem. You're a person. And honestly the question is more if you can put up with me." He got at least a croak of a laugh at the last part. 

"Thank you Archie." 

After they had both just looked at the sunset then stars for a while longer they finally started making their way back. They had to pack up Sweet Pea's motorcycle into the back of the truck because he couldn't even close his hands into a fist let alone hold the handle bars. 

The drive back included them telling stories about their lives, happier ones though. About how Fangs and Sweet Pea had broken into Southside High with Toni to put bi pride flags up for Toni's coming out announcement. Or how Jughead and Archie had once superglued Betty's Nancy Drew book closed without realizing how it would ruin the book. She had blown up and ignored them for two weeks. 

In the following weeks, Sweet Pea slowly returned to himself even though Archie now saw the daily struggle in his mind. He was there now to lend a silent unjudging shoulder. 

With Sweet Pea's new found money, the Serpents now had a brand new three story house for them to live at. He'd started investing into Veronica's businesses and learning the ropes in hope of one day opening something of his own.

Their first date was actually a picnic at the lake. Apparently Sweet Pea had camped there for a few weeks before he had hitchhiked to Riverdale after running away. It was a bittersweet place, but it was important to them both now. 

It was the last place Sweet Pea was at before finding his real home all those years ago, and his new place of healing from it all. They'd be alright, Sweet Pea's parents be damned. 

They gave up a child, who was becoming a great man without them.

**Author's Note:**

> I think I want to continue this, maybe going into their future with Sweet Pea's business endeavors and just overall self love progress. Who knows.


End file.
